Last year, I made the move to wireless charging with the Anker PowerWave 7.5 Pad. While the Anker PowerWave 7.5 Pad works great, I decided to step up from a wireless charging pad to a wireless charging stand. With a stand, it’s easier to use your phone, watch content, etc. all while continuing to charge your device (you don’t need to lift your phone off the stand).

I researched a few different options and ultimately set my sights on the Anker PowerWave 7.5 Stand with Quick Charge 3.0 Charger. The Anker PowerWave 7.5 Stand is very similar to the Anker PowerWave 7.5 Pad. Included in the box are the Anker PowerWave 7.5 Stand, a micro-USB to USB cable and a Quick Charge 3.0 Charger. The Anker PowerWave 7.5 Stand features a front-side LED indicator to let you know your device is charging, a case-friendly design allowing you to charge your device while in its case (most cases should be compatible), a built-in cooling fan to prevent overheating and the stand will charge your phone in both the horizontal and vertical positions.

I also like that you don’t need to find the center position on the Anker PowerWave 7.5 Stand for the phone to charge properly. With the Anker PowerWave 7.5 Pad, if your phone is off-center, it may not charge properly so you need to make sure the LED indicator is lit.

The Anker PowerWave 7.5 Stand supports 7.5W fast charging on the iPhone 8/8 Plus/X (it should also work with the latest generation of iPhones - iPhone XS/XS Max/XR) and 10W fast charging on the Samsung S7/S8/S8+/S9/S9+ and Note 8. For a complete list of supported devices, visit the Anker website. The Anker PowerWave 7.5 Stand is available in two colors: white and black. The white model retails at $49.99 and the black model retails at $55.99. I’ll include links to both models below if you’re interested.

I’ve been using the Anker PowerWave 7.5 Stand for a couple of months and it works great. And yes, I still use the Anker PowerWave 7.5 Pad which also works great.

LINKS:

Note: The links below include Affiliate Links. Please review the section entitled "Affiliate Links" in the Terms of Use of this website for additional information.

Earlier this year, I decided to give wireless charging a try with my iPhone X. I researched different wireless charging pads from different manufacturers focusing on wireless charging pads that supported fast wireless charging (7.5W) for the iPhone X. I decided to try the Anker PowerWave 7.5 Pad.

The Anker PowerWave 7.5 Pad supports 7.5W fast charging on the iPhone 8/8 Plus/X (it should also work with the latest generation of iPhones - iPhone XS/XS Max/XR) and 10W fast charging on the Samsung S7/S8/S8+/S9/S9+ and Note 8. You can check the Anker website for a full list of currently supported devices.

The Anker PowerWave 7.5 Pad includes everything you need to get started including the wireless charging pad, micro-USB to USB cable and a Quick Charge 3.0 AC Adapter (some wireless charging pads do not include the AC adapter). The Anker PowerWave 7.5 Pad features a LED indicator to let you know that your device is charging, a case-friendly design allowing you to charge your device while in its case (most cases should work) and has a built-in cooling fan to prevent overheating.

I’ve been using the Anker PowerWave 7.5 Pad since March and it works well. While I don’t necessarily mind using a cord to charge my device, I do like the convenience of not needing to have numerous cords lying around. I also like being able to charge my device while using Apple EarPods without the need for a dongle to split the lightning connector (ex: Belkin Lightning Audio + Charge RockStar). Of course, I could use Apple AirPods or Bluetooth-enabled earphones in lieu of Apple EarPods with the lightning connector.

The micro-USB to USB cable was just long enough for my purposes and you do need to center your device on the Anker PowerWave 7.5 Pad to properly charge the device (this is where the LED indicator becomes quite helpful). There have been a couple of times where my device wasn’t properly centered and did not start charging. That said, I haven’t run into any major problems with the Anker PowerWave 7.5 Pad and do recommend this wireless charging pad if you are in the market to get one.

The Anker PowerWave 7.5 Pad costs around $50.

If you’re interested in the Anker PowerWave 7.5 Pad, I’ve included a link below. I’ve also included a link to the Belkin Lightning Audio + Charge RockStar which allows you to charge your supported iPhone via the lightning connector while simultaneously using your Apple Earpods with lightning connector if you need to go the wired route.

LINKS:

Note: The links below include Affiliate Links. Please review the section entitled "Affiliate Links" in the Terms of Use of this website for additional information.

If you’ve been holding off on upgrading your iPhone or mobile phone in hopes of getting your hands on the all-new iPhone XR, the wait is almost over! Pre-orders for the iPhone XR will kick-off this Friday, October 19th with availability beginning on Friday, October 26th.

Apple announced the all-new iPhone XR, along with the new iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, at their Apple Special Event last month in Cupertino. The iPhone XR is a lower-cost alternative to the new iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max with a starting price of $749. The iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max start at $999 and $1,099, respectively.

The iPhone XR is made from a 7000 Series grade aluminum with a glass back to support wireless charging and is rated IP67 for water resistance meaning it can withstand a drop into water with a maximum depth of one meter for up to thirty minutes. It also features a new 6.1-inch LCD Liquid Retina HD Display, a 7-nanometer A12 Bionic Chip with next generation neural engine (same chip as in the new iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max), a single 12MP wide-angle rear camera, 7MP front TrueDepth camera, Smart HDR, Haptic Touch (in lieu of 3D Touch), Face ID and dual SIMs (nano SIM + eSIM). As for battery life, the iPhone XR offers an additional ninety-minutes of battery life over that of the iPhone 8 Plus.

The iPhone XR will be available in a variety of colors including White, Black, Blue, Coral, Yellow and (Product) Red. Storage capacities will include 64GB, 128GB and 256GB. AppleCare+ for iPhone XR will cost $149 if paid in full or $7.99/month for up to 24 months if paid monthly and the new AppleCare+ with Theft and Loss Protection will cost $249 if paid in full or $12.99/month for up to 24 months if paid monthly.

If you plan on pre-ordering the iPhone XR through Apple’s iPhone Upgrade Program, Apple recommends that you use the Apple Store app on your iPhone to get pre-approved for the iPhone Upgrade Program before 7pm ET/4pm PT on Thursday, October 18th so you can pre-order and checkout on Friday, October 19th.

Apple released the latest version of iOS, iOS 12, last Monday, September 17th. As with previous iOS major releases, I did not upgrade on launch day for several reasons including potentially slow download speeds with many users hitting Apple’s download servers simultaneously for iOS 12 and the potential for bugs/compatibility issues, as we saw with the release of iOS 11 last year.

With iOS 12, Apple appears to have put this latest version of iOS through more rigorous beta testing and improved quality control. The reviews have pointed towards iOS 12 beta versions being stable and it is reflected in the final release. Since upgrading my iOS devices to iOS 12, my devices have been stable, running smoothly and I haven’t run into any major issues.

I have noticed a nice performance and speed boost with iOS 12. iOS 12 appears to run faster and smoother than iOS 11. On iPhone X, I like that iOS 12 has simplified the process for closing apps. In iOS 11, it required swiping midway up the screen to see all the open apps and then required that you press or hold down on the screen before swiping up to close the apps. In iOS 12, you no longer need to press or hold down on the screen first. Once you swipe up from the bottom of the screen to approximately the middle of the screen and see all the open apps, you can release your finger for a moment and then swipe up to close the respective apps. There is a small adjustment period coming off iOS 11, but you’ll get used to it quickly.

The new Measure app, which utilizes Augmented Reality, allows you to have a measuring tape readily available whenever you need one. I can’t remember the number of times I’ve had to search for a measuring tape on the fly; however, with the new Measure app, you can be confident that you’ll have a handy measuring tape available always.

I did experiment with Memojis and it’s okay. I couldn’t quite create a Memoji that I truly liked but I did give it a try. I think I’ll stick with the Animojis!

As for battery life, I haven’t experienced any issues with the battery draining faster on iOS 12 versus that of iOS 11, which is a plus. It seems like battery life is comparable to the latest version of iOS 11. Obviously, battery life does heavily depend on how you use your iOS device and the apps that you are running so my experience may vary from those experiences of others.

iOS 12 appears to be a good and “safe” upgrade. If you plan on upgrading your iOS device to iOS 12, be sure to backup your iOS device to your computer via iTunes or to the cloud via iCloud. Also, make sure to check Apple’s website to be certain your device is compatible with iOS 12. If you use any apps that are vital or mission-critical, be sure to check the App Store and/or with the App Developer to confirm compatibility with iOS 12.

Apple CEO Tim Cook and the Apple team took the stage this morning at the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino to announce Apple Watch Series 4, three new iPhones and release dates for iOS 12, watchOS 5, tvOS 12 and macOS Mojave.

iOS, watchOS, tvOS and macOS

iOS 12, watchOS 5 and tvOS 12 will all be available this coming Monday, September 17th. macOS Mojave will be available a week later on Monday, September 24th.

Apple Watch

Credit: Apple

Apple Watch Series 4 was the first product announced at today’s Special Event. The Series 4 comes in new 40mm and 44mm cases. The Series 4 features a new edge-to-edge display with curved edges and a viewing area that is thirty-percent larger, a black ceramic and sapphire crystal back, new Digital Crown with Haptic feedback, a fourth generation S4 64-bit Dual-Core processor which is up to 2x faster, a 50% louder speaker, the microphone has been moved to the opposite side for noise reduction, a new watch face which supports eight customizable complications and up to 18 hours of battery life on a single charge. The new Series 4 accelerometer and gyroscope add fall detection. Series 4 also adds new heart health features including low heart rate & atrial fibrillation detection and an electrocardiogram (ECG).

The aluminum case will come in Silver, Gold and Space Gray. The stainless-steel case will come in Silver, Space Black and Gold. Existing Apple Watch bands will be compatible with the new Apple Watch Series 4.

The Series 4 wireless models will start at $399 and the cellular models will start at $499. Apple will begin accepting orders for Apple Watch Series 4 on September 14th and the Series 4 will be available beginning September 21st.

Apple is also reducing prices on Apple Watch Series 3 with pricing starting at $279.

iPhone

Credit: Apple

Following the announcement of Apple Watch Series 4, Apple announced three new iPhones today – iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR.

The first two new iPhones announced were the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max. The iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max are made from a surgical grade stainless-steel and come with Super Retina HD OLED 5.8-inch and 6.5-inch displays respectively, a 7-nanometer A12 Bionic Chip with a 6-Core CPU, 4-Core GPU and next-generation 8-Core Neural Engine offering faster app launches by up to thirty-percent, dual 12MP (wide-angle and telephoto) rear cameras, 7MP front TrueDepth camera, Smart HDR and dual SIMs (nano SIM + eSIM). The iPhone XS and XS Max also include a new feature that lets you adjust the depth of field of photos AFTER you’ve taken them from an aperture of f/1.4 to f/16. The iPhone XS offers an additional thirty-minutes of battery life over the iPhone X while the iPhone XS Max offers an additional ninety-minutes of battery life over the iPhone X.

Both the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max come in Gold, Silver and Space Gray. Capacities will include 64GB, 256GB and 512GB. The iPhone XS will start at $999 and the iPhone XS Max will start at $1,099. Apple will begin accepting orders for iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max on September 14th and both devices will be available on September 21st.

The third new iPhone announced at today’s event was the iPhone XR. The iPhone XR is made from a 7000 Series grade aluminum with a glass back and features a new 6.1-inch LCD Liquid Retina HD Display, the same 7-nanometer A12 Bionic Chip available in the XS and XS Max, a single 12MP wide-angle rear camera, 7MP front TrueDepth camera, Smart HDR, Haptic Touch instead of 3D Touch, Face ID and dual SIMs (nano SIM + eSIM). The iPhone XR offers an additional ninety-minutes of battery life over the iPhone 8 Plus.

The iPhone XR comes in White, Black, Blue, Coral, Yellow and (Product) Red. Capacities will include 64GB, 128GB and 256GB. The iPhone XR will start at $749. Apple will begin accepting orders on October 19th and the iPhone XR will be available on October 26th.

Credit: Apple

Apple is keeping the iPhone 7 and iPhone 8 in their iPhone product line. The iPhone 7 will now start at $449 and the iPhone 8 will start at $599. The original iPhone X has been discontinued.